Behind the bake: small-batch shortbread

Good shortbread doesn’t have many ingredients, so each one matters. And because there are so few, there’s nowhere for a shortcut to hide.

Last week we introduced our new shortbread gift boxes. This week, we’d like to show you what goes into every one.

Simple ingredients, chosen with care

Our shortbread starts with butter: proper British butter, and plenty of it. That’s where the flavour and the melt-in-the-mouth crumb come from. Then sugar and flour, and for our flavoured bakes, real ingredients like stem ginger, raspberry and chocolate. There are no artificial additives, and nothing you wouldn’t recognise from your own kitchen.

Small batches, by hand

We bake in small batches at our bakery in Herefordshire. It takes longer than running a production line, but it means every batch gets proper attention. Our Master Baker checks over every tray to make sure it is up to our high standards. Shortbread rewards a gentle touch. Work the dough too hard and it loses that tender, crumbly texture, so it’s handled only as much as it needs to be.

The bake

Shortbread shouldn’t be rushed in the oven either. We’re looking for a pale, even golden colour: crisp at the edge, tender in the middle. For our dipped range, each piece is then half-dipped in chocolate and left to set.

Packed to be given

Once cooled, the shortbread is packed into our gorgeous gift boxes, ready for the moment someone opens them. We think a gift should feel as considered on the inside as it looks on the outside. That’s the whole point of making it this way.

Why it matters

When you give someone a box of Frank’s, whether it’s a thank-you, a host gift or a present for a client, you’re giving them something made with care, by people who take pride in it. We think they can taste the difference.

Our shortbread gift boxes are available now 

If you’re planning gifts for clients or your team this Christmas, we also offer personalised and branded options. Please get in touch. 

You can learn more about the competition on the official Great British Food Awards website.

With thanks the team at Frank’s Luxury Biscuits

Great British Food Awards 2026 Finalists in Two Categories

Frank’s Luxury Biscuits is delighted to announce that we are Great British Food Awards 2026 Finalists in two categories.

We’re absolutely thrilled (and more than a little proud) to tell you that two of our hand-baked favourites have been shortlisted by the judges:

Our 2026 Finalists

Mini Bites: All Butter — Sweet Biscuits

Rich Fruit: Sultana & Cherry — Sweet Bakes

The Great British Food Awards celebrate the very best of British produce, with every entry put through its paces over a series of rigorous blind tasting days. Only the highest-scoring products make it through to the final — so to have two of ours recognised means the world to our little team here in Hereford.

Every biscuit, flapjack and bake we make is crafted by hand in Herefordshire, in small batches, with proper ingredients and no shortcuts. Awards come and go, but knowing our bakes stood out to a panel of experts is the loveliest reminder of why we do what we do.

Being named Great British Food Awards 2026 Finalists is a fantastic achievement for our small Herefordshire bakery. Every biscuit, flapjack and bake is made in small batches using carefully selected ingredients and traditional baking methods. Recognition from one of Britain’s best-known food awards highlights the care, quality and attention to detail that goes into every product we create. We’re incredibly proud that two of our products have reached the finals and grateful to our loyal customers who continue to support our family business.

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Tuesday 6 October 2026 in London. Everything crossed until then — we’ll be sure to let you know how we get on!

You can learn more about the competition on the official Great British Food Awards website.

---

Fancy tasting the finalists for yourself? Both our Mini Bites: All Butter and Rich Fruit: Sultana & Cherry are available to order online now — the perfect excuse for a well-earned brew and a biscuit.

Thank you, as always, for being part of the Frank’s story. Here’s to the next chapter — now, where’s that teapot?

— The team at Frank’s Luxury Biscuits